Fernando Alonso Misses Out On Upgrades While Stroll Receives

Having only one upgrade package at their disposal, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was unable to test the improvements on his AMR24 F1 car at Suzuka on Day 1. The team opted to give Lance Stroll the opportunity to test it first during FP1 and FP2.

Having only one upgrade package at their disposal, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was unable to test the improvements on his AMR24 F1 car at Suzuka on Day 1. The team opted to give Lance Stroll the opportunity to test it first during FP1 and FP2.

But, the performance difference between the two Aston Martin F1 cars was minimal in FP1. Alonso finished 7th with the old version, while Stroll secured 15th position. The 42-year-old driver will have the opportunity to test the upgrades on Saturday during FP3, albeit with a shorter testing window of one hour before the team prepares for qualifying.

Speaking of the upgrades, Aston Martin has brought changes to the floor apart from a Red Bull-styled diffuser, sidepods, and a new beam spoiler. As per a report from Auto Motor und Sport, Stroll’s crash at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last month prompted him to receive the upgrades ahead of Alonso, as his car’s chassis required repairs. Aston Martin chose to install the new parts on his car gradually instead of introducing a separate upgrade package at Suzuka

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Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack disclosed the team’s plan to conduct a direct comparison between the new and old-spec AMR24 during practice at Suzuka. This approach aims to address the weaknesses identified from last season as the team strives for further improvement.

However, with a small window to assess the effectiveness of the upgrades on Alonso’s car in FP3, Aston Martin now faces a situation where it must make a bold and quick decision. The team must determine whether to fit the new parts overnight or postpone their use until the next race in China.